I don't think I'm getting the new iPhone 5. I don't really need it. I am eligible for an upgrade, but my iPhone 4 is still very handy dandy. So far, it's in one piece. Somehow, I've managed to care for it better than my iPhone 3GS. It had all kind of bumps and scars. My iPhone 4 still functions fine and looks rather new.

I got to see a real, live iPhone 5 yesterday. The screen is bit longer, as well as the phone. It does have nice brushed metal on the back. But I don't see anything that will improve my quality of life or those around me.

My coworker has said the biggest difference is the speed. I said, "So the only major improvement is the speed?"

He replied, "Yes. It's fast."

I said, "And that's it?"

He replied again, "It's really fast."

I can live at a slower pace. I'm still not convinced.

On the elevator leaving work on Friday, I found myself encapsulated with one other stranger. She was an African American woman possibly in her early 40s wearing a patterned work dress and staring blankly at the buttons on the right side of the elevator as I stood on the left with a mirrored appearance. We briefly made eye contact, and then she spoke.

"It's gonna be hard to say goodbye to my friend, the iPhone 4," she was gazing into the screen as she spoke loud enough to include me in the moment. Then she became more antimated and busted out saying, "But it's okay, because I'm getting an iPhone 5!" She did a bit of a quick stationary dance to emphasize her excitement.

As we walked off the elevator, our conversation continued, "Yes, it's strange the attachment we have to those phones."

She quickly replied, "Oh, they have adapters! I'm going to have to buy several--one for my car, for work, for home. They're not too expensive."

I just nodded. She was too in the moment of the iPhone 5 high to understand what I meant.

Whatever the case (or iPhone cover), I'm holding out for iPhone 6--I'm looking for a phone that can warm my coffee and do a cool R2D2 hologram. I might do a dance on an elevator for that.


I got to be a rep for YoungLife this week for the Reagan High School open house. I was kind of glad I had prepped myself with some answers about what YoungLife was before I went. (I actually read up on it on Wikipedia)

I throw around the phrase "YoungLife" on a daily basis. Sometimes things that are really familiar can be hard to break down in words, so the Wikipedia entry was helpful to be able to communicate to parents and students the joy, laughter, craziness, and friends that YoungLife represents in my mind.

I love YoungLife. I was officially introduced to it way back in 1998 when my roommate, Brenda, shared with me the purpose of her job. She was on staff with YoungLife. Many of her days consisted of meeting teens at the high school for breakfast, going to high school football games, and coming up with crazy costumes.

I was always jealous of her schedule of fun compared to my schedule of "blah" being a first year elementary school teacher. Eventually, I joined in the YoungLife fun as a volunteer. The people I served with in that ministry are forever dear to my heart. It seemed like a ministry made for me. Loving Jesus and loving to laugh--my loves.

While volunteering in North Carolina, I had heard legendary stories about "Urban YoungLife." These tales were about kids that were from huge cities and included rumors of city craziness that the suburban life could never imagine. In my wildest imagination (and I have a good one), I could not envision, that I would one day be an Urban YoungLife leader. For starters, I was missing the "urban" part.

After settling in for a few years with Houston as my new home, YoungLife found me again. It has been a beautiful and amazing journey of getting to know the dynamic life of Urban teens. I am so blessed by my friendships with them and how they help me to keep discovering a deeper love and continual need of Christ and of community.

What is YoungLife? YoungLife to my besties may mean that I can't hang with them because I'm being a teenager--which can be a very busy lifestyle! But if I rattled off the answers brainstorming in my mind -- it's dancing, laughing, singing, sometimes crying, messy-games, funny faces, funny phrases, teenagers, volunteers, discovery, friendship, camping, hiking, coffee-time, pizza --and it's lots and lots of love.